U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,953 which issued to Aluotto in 1973 illustrates a waste compaction apparatus, that is considered to be representative of the state of the art. The Aluotto reference discloses an elongate compaction chamber having a first end and a second end. Into the first end is placed material to be compacted. An hydraulic ram is axially aligned with and movable into and out of the elongate compaction chamber. The hydraulic ram enters the first end of the compaction chamber. As the hydraulic ram moves toward the second end of the compaction chamber, the waste material is compacted against an end gate at the second end. The end gate is then opened so that the compacted material can be readily removed from the compaction chamber. With the end gate open, the hydraulic ram is used to push the compacted material from the compaction chamber.
The compaction apparatus disclosed in the Aluotto reference is effective, but not particularly efficient in terms of daily production of compacted waste. It is the daily production of compacted waste that determines the commercial value of a compaction machine.